Things to do in Phang Nga.

About 13km south of Phang Nga Town, a limestone karst hill opens into a cathedral-sized cave chamber roughly 40m long and 20m wide, sheltering a 15m gilded reclining Buddha along with smaller Buddha images and ancient chedis. Established around 150 years ago by the Na Takuathung family and elevated to prominence by a visit from King Rama V, it's also nicknamed the "Monkey Cave" for the troops of macaques that roam the grounds outside. Open daily 8am-5pm, free admission.

A free, easy 2km nature trail about 4km north of Phang Nga Town, winding through dense evergreen jungle inside the Khao Thoi-Nang Hong Forest past eight marked stops — small waterfalls with swimmable pools, a shell-and-bat cave, and giant old trees draped in moss. The terrain is mostly flat, making it one of the more accessible short nature walks on this stretch of the Andaman coast; closes 4:30pm, with parking, toilets and snack kiosks on site.

A 125 km² park stretching across four districts, its most-visited feature is Ton Chong Fa Waterfall (12km from the park headquarters), a five-tiered cascade with a 10m main drop reached by a roughly 4km round-trip trail. Further south, the larger five-tier Lam Ru Waterfall demands a longer trip near Kapong, and a separate short coastal trail leads to a small, quiet sandy beach through the forest. Open 8am-4:30pm, entry ฿200 adults / ฿100 children.

Nang Thong, Bang Niang and Khuk Khak string together roughly 20km of long, casuarina-lined sand that forms the province's real beach-resort strip — quieter and less built-up than Phuket's west coast, with a laid-back dive-town character. Nang Thong is the most developed with the main restaurant and shopping strip; Bang Niang and Khuk Khak run progressively calmer and more residential to the north.

Khao Lak was the area of Thailand hit hardest by the 26 December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and two memorial sites keep that history visible today: a Thai navy patrol boat, Tor 813, carried more than 1.5km inland by the wave and preserved where it came to rest near Bang Niang, and the Ban Nam Khem Tsunami Memorial Park & International Tsunami Museum further north, built around a wave-shaped monument and exhibits documenting the disaster and the region's recovery.

The province's signature outing: a longtail or sea-canoe tour through Ao Phang Nga National Park's dramatic limestone karst towers to Khao Phing Kan and its offshore pinnacle Ko Tapu, nicknamed "James Bond Island" after the pair were filmed for 1974's The Man with the Golden Gun. Most itineraries pair it with Ko Panyi, a stilted fishing village founded by Malay fishermen in the late 18th century that today has a mosque, halal seafood restaurants and a well-known floating football pitch built from driftwood and foam boxes by local kids. Tours run from Phuket, Khao Lak and Phang Nga Town's own pier.

Widely rated among the world's top dive and snorkel destinations — clear water, granite boulder formations and vivid coral gardens across nine numbered islands. Speedboats leave from Thap Lamu Pier near Khao Lak (roughly 70-90 minutes each way); day tours typically run ฿1,800-3,500 including gear, guide and lunch, plus a national park entrance fee (around ฿400-500 adults). The park runs on an official season, officially open 15 October to 15 May and closed the rest of the year to protect the marine ecosystem — a firm constraint to plan around, not a soft guideline.

Further north and less crowded than the Similans, with equally strong diving and snorkeling plus a genuine cultural layer: a Moken ("sea gypsy") community lives at Ban Moken village on Koh Surin Tai, one of the last traditional Moken settlements in Thailand. Boats run from Khura Buri's piers in the province's north, and like the Similans the park closes for the May-to-October monsoon season — check current dates before booking.

Two quieter, less-developed islands sitting in the bay between Phuket and Krabi, administratively part of Phang Nga province. Sea canoeing through the surrounding karst formations, slower-paced beaches and a small but growing resort scene (plus Mina's Cooking Classes, see our cooking classes guide) make Ko Yao Noi the more visited of the pair; Ko Yao Yai is larger and even less built-up. Reachable by longtail or speedboat from Phuket's Bang Rong Pier or from Krabi.

The Similan and Surin Islands anchor Phang Nga's reputation as one of Thailand's premier dive regions, with liveaboard operators running multi-day trips out of Khao Lak alongside the standard day-tour speedboats. Closer to shore, Ao Phang Nga Bay and the waters around Ko Yao Noi offer calmer, easier snorkeling and sea-canoe routes suited to non-divers and families.

Thap Lamu Pier (Khao Lak) serves the Similan Islands; Khura Buri's piers in the province's north serve the Surin Islands; Phang Nga Town has its own pier for Ao Phang Nga Bay/James Bond Island tours, which also run from Phuket. Bay tours and Ko Yao Noi/Ko Yao Yai are realistic single-day trips; the Similan and Surin Islands are doable as a long day trip from Khao Lak but reward an overnight liveaboard if diving is the priority.

Both the Similan and Surin Islands national parks run official seasonal closures — officially 15 October to 15 May for the Similans, with the Surins on a broadly similar mid-May-to-mid-October closure — to let the marine ecosystem recover from monsoon swells and visitor pressure. These dates can shift slightly year to year, so always confirm current status before booking a trip built around them; Ao Phang Nga Bay itself, being largely sheltered, stays accessible through the monsoon.

The signature outing is a longtail or sea-canoe tour through Ao Phang Nga Bay to James Bond Island (Khao Phing Kan/Ko Tapu) and the floating village of Ko Panyi. Pair that with a day at the Similan or Surin Islands if diving or snorkeling is a priority (season permitting), Wat Suwan Khuha's cave temple and reclining Buddha near Phang Nga Town, and a walk through Sa Nang Manora Forest Park or up to Ton Chong Fa Waterfall in Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park.

Yes, though it's worth knowing what you're getting: Khao Phing Kan and the Ko Tapu sea pinnacle are dramatic to see and photograph, but the island itself is small and can get busy with tour groups. Most operators combine it with quieter stops in Ao Phang Nga Bay and the Ko Panyi floating village, which rounds out the trip.

The Similan Islands National Park is officially open 15 October to 15 May; the Surin Islands run a broadly similar closure roughly mid-May to mid-October. Both close for the rest of the year to protect the marine ecosystem from monsoon conditions — confirm current dates before booking, since they can shift slightly year to year.

Inland options include Wat Suwan Khuha's cave temple with its 15m reclining Buddha (13km south of Phang Nga Town), the easy waterfall walk at Sa Nang Manora Forest Park, hiking to Ton Chong Fa Waterfall in Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park, Khao Lak's own long beaches (Nang Thong, Bang Niang, Khuk Khak), and the sobering Bang Niang and Ban Nam Khem tsunami memorial sites.

Speedboats leave from Thap Lamu Pier near Khao Lak, roughly 70-90 minutes each way, with most operators including a hotel transfer to the pier. Day tours typically run ฿1,800-3,500 including snorkel gear, an English-speaking guide and lunch, plus a national park entrance fee of roughly ฿400-500 for adults.